Driving on the right?

[Brian]

Most photographs of ribs I have seen have been right-hand drive. In other words the steering wheel has been on the right, and the throttle control on the left of it.

My question is: why should this be so? After all, the rule-of-the-road on the sea is to drive on the right so that you pass someone port-to-port.

What reasons can you, dear reader, suggest why this apparent contra-to-logic exist?

[PeterM]

To counter prop torque I think ?

[JIY]

I guess it is often to offset the torque of a single outboard installation. Some manufacturers also offset their consoles to the right to help balance things up.

[Brian]

OK Guys-thanks for that. You are probably right.

But I am thinking of ordering a diesel duo-prop, and it SEEMS to me to be the thing to do, to order a left-hand drive.
But before I confirm the order, I would like to as many views/
opinions as possible.

[martini]

I don't think it's going to make any difference in terms of driving on the right hand side of a road, it's not like a car where you're driving 6" away from a granite wall and you need the extra vision. I prefer to keep a bit more distance between my boat and the rockware dunno about anyone else!

Another point I would make is that when it gets a bit choppy and maybe you're standing up off the seat, with 1 hand on the throttle and the other on the wheel, if you're in a right hand drive you will have your stronger arm (if you're right handed) doing most of the hanging on. IMO makes a good bit of difference on the longer trips.

[Tony]

I think Nauti Buoy is left hand drive..

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Originally Posted by Tony

I think Nauti Buoy is left hand drive..

Yep Nauti Buoy was left hand drive, reason being, the trim buttons were on the left throttle so using the thumb to adjust trim was far easier. The new NB will also be LHD for the same reason.

[jwalker]

Brian, where you go boating, is it any easier to come alongside on one particular side of the boat? It is for me and it's the port side.

[Hightower]

I put my helm on the right because it was a far more natural side for me, to hold onto the steering with my "strong" right hand and to throttle with the left, and before you say prop torque has anything to do with things, it's a LH outboard. I have all the heavy batterys on the left however.

[Petrov]

In Sweden Starboard is called Styrbord, styr means steering.
Over here and i think international you can say that its right traffic on the water, people from right has the right to pass, if you se a green light (starboard) its ok to drive thats a pretty common way of thinking over here (talking for motors, not sailing)
You should always pass a boat on the starboard side if you coming from behind, than its easy for the driver that sits on the starboard side to se a boat passing (this is more for closed boats) usually it can be hard for a driver to se a boat passing on starboard side if you sit on the port, there is covers etc etc in the way.
Thats how we look at it over here.